After All This Time? Always
by LupinxTonks4ever
Summary: Just a light, sweet, AU Tonks and Lupin moment. Takes place the day before the Deathly Hallows epilogue. Fluffy and short. Indulging the what-if side that all Tonks & Lupin shippers have:)


**Hi!:D  
So this is a bit of a rubbish-y AU fic that just popped into my head one day. haha;) I am still working on a re-write of the next chapter for my Tonks & Lupin story - but I thought I'd post this too:) Hopefully I'll be able to update my chapter fic soon, but until then, here's some fluff. ;)  
And this isn't actually about Snape - but it was inspired by his most famous line 'Always.' (though 'page 394' is up there too! haha:D)  
It's AU, just a little moment between Tonks and Lupin the night before the epilogue in the end of Deathly Hallows. Tonks is now 45 and Remus is 58. They have three children: Teddy Remus (19), Beatrice Jana (16), and Alina Andromeda (9).  
Just a fluffy sort of thing (like, really fluffy - if you have a sensitive fluff-overkill-meter, you should definitely skip this! Lol!XD), something light and fun!:)  
Hope y'all like it!:D**

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The setting sun cast pink and purple hues into the horizon the night before the children would be off to Hogwarts that year.

Teddy had just told his mum and dad that afternoon that he wanted to propose to Victiore Weasley. The couple had been together for two years, and friends their whole lives. Tonks and Lupin had both enthusiastically welcomed the idea of Victoire as a daughter-in-law. She was a lovely girl (a lot like her mum, though not in a bad way...just a distinctly Veela-ish way) and it was plain to all who knew them how much they cared for each other. Teddy, afraid they would worry about how young the couple was, had informed them hastily that they would wait at least year so that Victoire could finish school. So the wedding was loosely set for December of the next year.

Tonks and Lupin now sat together, pondering the strange and slightly sad idea that their son would soon be starting a life of his own, leaving his home with them to make one of his own.

"Can you believe Teddy's going to be getting married?" Tonks asked Lupin.

They were sitting on the porch of their now larger cottage, hands entwined, watching the sun set.

"No," he said, shaking his head.

"He doesn't seem old enough does he?" Lupin asked wryly.

"No. It feels like he should still be a little boy," she admitted, feeling a bit melancholy that she would be having to let her son go and live his own life, when it felt as though he'd only been theirs for a short moment. And their two daughters were growing up just as quickly. Beatrice Jana, their older daughter, was now sixteen, and Alina Andromeda, their youngest, was nine as of the day before. Their daughters middle names had been chosen for each of their mum's, an idea of Lupin's.

"I know," Lupin said softly, smiling a sympathetic smile at her and squeezing her hands in his.

"It makes me feel sort of old...it seems like just yesterday that we were the ones getting married, doesn't it?"

"Yes and no," Lupin replied honestly, thinking back to that dark time of war.

Even after everything they'd been through, the woman who had brought light into his life even in utter darkness was still beside him and as wonderful as ever. "The war made everything seem longer...but I feel as if I have known you forever - loved you forever, yet not long at all."

"I know," she agreed, smiling softly.

"But I don't think I'd go back. I'm...I'm so happy just where we are, does that make any sense?" Tonks asked, looking up into her husband's eyes.

His light brown hair was still very thick, but it had turned almost completely grey. His face had aged less, and his eyes...they looked the same as they had the day she had met him for the first time. Except he looked happier...content. The sadness and anguish that had once haunted them so prevalently had faded and gone for good, replaced by peace and joy. It warmed her heart every time she remembered what they had come through to get to where they now sat.

"I'm happy because even after everything, I've still got you. True, we're not as young as we used to be...but as long as we're together, it doesn't matter." she said, then grinned as he kissed her cheek, "We're far from old sweetheart, but I must say, Mrs. Lupin, that you are as lovely as the day I met you. And every day since then I count myself the luckiest man alive. I suppose it has been a while since our wedding - but I've realized no matter how long we spend together, it will likely be too short."

Tonks grinned, and years worth of love and memories flooded her and she leaned forward and met his lips. When their sweet kiss ended, Tonks rested her head on his chest as his arms settled about her. "Well Mr. Lupin, I think you may be even more handsome than when we met...after all, you smile more now." she said, stroking his cheek as he looked down at her with that tender expression she loved so much.

"After twenty-one years you still take my breath away when you look at me like that." she whispered, tears in her eyes as she remembered all they had gone through and how hard they had fought for the happiness they had now.

"As...hard as the war was, and even with all that we had to go through, it was worth it. I'm so glad Teddy, Bea, and Ali have been able to grow up in a peaceful world."

"I can't think of anyone else I'd want to have gone through all that with, and walk through the rest of my life with."

"Me too," Tonks murmured in response.

And in that moment, Tonks felt as if she could still be twenty-five, just married and so young.

Because as much as things had changed, things between her and Lupin had stayed the same. He was so familiar, so steady, and though life found its natural changes, they stood firm through them. And yes, love did grow, but it did not fade or dwindle. Unconditional love like theirs grows without bounds and knows no hindrances. It can overcome any obstacle and shine through the darkest of times.

And that's exactly what their love had done.

And there, on the white front porch with peeling paint of their slightly expanded cottage, in Lupin's arms, she felt comforted. No longer did she feel old or afraid of the changes they were facing.

They joyous changes.

Changes that she was glad their world could see. Changes they would face together.

She was grateful that her son and daughters had never known the pain of war and loss of those far too young to die.

Indeed they were blessed.

And Tonks found the same comfort she had in his arms as she had for all the years she had spent with him.

Because as much as things may change, he was her home, and that was all they needed.

Feeling a little light headed with joy, she looked up into her husband's blue eyes and smiled.

He stroked her jaw and smiled back, "What is it?" he asked.

"I just...I'm so glad that we're together. Life hasn't always been easy...far from it sometimes," she reflected with a laugh.

He chuckled, warmth in his eyes as he waited for her to continue.

"But I'm glad that we're... doing life together. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be." she said.

His eyes were a myriad of love and tenderness by the time she'd finished, and looking into his eyes was like stopping time.

They were like coming home.

In this moment, she felt as if they were looking directly into the others' souls. It was an eternal instant.

He kissed her and she lost herself in the loving tenderness of his lips on hers.

When they broke apart several minutes later, breathless and hearts overflowing, his lips wandered to her forehead and lingered there a moment before his hands cupped her face and drew it up so he could see into her eyes.

"I love you Dora," he murmured.

"I love you too,"

Just then the screen door behind them opened and Alina stepped out onto the porch. She was only nine and had been a teeny bit of a surprise for the family of four. Beatrice and Teddy absolutely adored their baby sister, and were very protective of her.

Apparently she'd been watching her mum and dad, because when she took a seat beside Lupin, she looked at them with her nose slightly wrinkled and said, "Mummy, why does daddy look at you like that?"

Lupin reached over and pulled Alina onto his lap, "Because I love your mum very very much," he said, looking at Tonks as he said it.

"After all this time?" She asked emphatically.

Tonks and Lupin laughed, looked into each others' eyes happily, and said together, making Alina giggle.

"Always."

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**Okay, so I've indulged my fluffy side for now! Haha *sheepish grin*  
Also, sorry about the names...i don't know good British names! Haha:)  
I know that may have been fluff overkill, but I had fun with this, and it made me smile so I thought I'd share!:D I hope y'all liked it!:D **

**God bless!:D** ❤


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